What does Google say about SEO? /
Martin Splitt is a Developer Advocate at Google, specializing in JavaScript rendering and modern web application indexing. He created the 'SEO Mythbusting' video series and regularly explains how Googlebot handles JavaScript frameworks. His statements are essential for developers looking to optimize the SEO of their applications.
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🕒 ~30s 🎯 3 questions 📚 SEO Google
★★ Does WordPress's native lazy loading really boost your SEO performance?
WordPress now implements native lazy loading by default for images thanks to a contribution from Felix Arntz, an engineer at Google. This practice has become widespread across modern CMS platforms....
Aug 21, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is your lazy loading blocking Google from seeing your images?
To verify that lazy loading works correctly for SEO, use the URL inspection tool in Search Console and examine the rendered HTML. All image URLs must appear in the 'src' attribute of image tags....
Aug 21, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is your custom JavaScript lazy loading library sabotaging Google's ability to index your images?
Custom JavaScript libraries that use attributes like 'data-src' instead of 'src' can prevent Google from indexing images. If the 'src' attribute is not properly populated, the image won't be detected ...
Aug 21, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is lazy loading actually killing your LCP?
Lazy loading directly influences Core Web Vitals, particularly the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP). Poorly implemented lazy loading on visible images delays rendering and degrades measured performance....
Aug 21, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really ban lazy loading from hero images?
Never apply lazy loading to images that are immediately visible (hero image, header). This delays their loading and negatively impacts the Largest Contentful Paint, because the browser cannot preload ...
Aug 21, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is the HTML loading=lazy attribute really enough to prevent indexation issues?
Browsers natively support lazy loading via the 'loading=lazy' attribute for images and iframes. This HTML method is preferable to JavaScript libraries because it is simpler and avoids potential indexa...
Aug 21, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why should photographers invest in their own website instead of relying solely on Instagram?
Photographers should maintain both a website and an active presence on social media. A website allows you to fully control the presentation and context of your photos, unlike social networks where you...
Aug 07, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why does Google require <img> tags for stock images instead of CSS?
Even though stock images probably won't be indexed (Google acknowledges they already exist elsewhere), from a semantic standpoint, if they're part of the page's content, they should be in the HTML wit...
Jul 24, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why can Google Search Console screenshots mislead you about your site's indexation?
To verify how Google sees a page, you must always look at the rendered HTML rather than the screenshot, because Google uses a technique called viewport expansion that can produce misleading screenshot...
Jul 24, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Does 100vh really cause indexation problems for your hero images?
Using 100vh (100% of the viewport height) for hero images can cause problems with the Inspect URL tool due to viewport expansion used during rendering. However, the content remains accessible in the D...
Jul 24, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Could strict HTML and CSS separation be the missing piece in your indexation strategy?
There exists a fundamental principle of the web: content must be in HTML and presentation in CSS. Crawlers and accessibility tools parse HTML for content, not CSS. Violating this principle can prevent...
Jul 24, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why aren't your CSS background images ever showing up in Google Images?
Images loaded via CSS background-image are considered decorative. If an image is integral to your content (product photo, infographic referenced in text), it must use an <img> or <picture> tag to be p...
Jul 24, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is CSS ::before and ::after content really invisible to Google?
Content added via CSS pseudo-elements ::before and ::after does not appear in the DOM and will therefore not be taken into account by crawlers and accessibility tools. This content should only be used...
Jul 24, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Do CSS class names really affect your search engine rankings?
CSS class names have no effect on search engine optimization. They are simply identifiers used to assign styling rules to HTML elements. You could name them all 'blurb' without any SEO impact, though ...
Jul 24, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does hreflang really block geographic access to your website?
The hreflang attribute does not block or restrict access to a website from other countries. It is a signal for language and regional targeting by search engines, not a geographic access restriction....
Jul 16, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is your website still essential in the age of generative AI?
Despite the emergence of generative AI and chatbots, having a quality website remains essential. These tools often rely on existing web content and do not replace a website, particularly for e-commerc...
Jul 10, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why do some SEO optimizations take months to deliver results?
Simple modifications like text changes are visible quickly, but larger strategic changes require time. A good SEO must be able to monitor and regularly explain the progress being made....
Jul 10, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Are Google's Search Essentials really the ultimate SEO rulebook you need to follow?
Search Essentials (former webmaster guidelines) define what should and shouldn't be done in SEO. Knowing them helps ensure that an SEO service provider respects Google's best practices....
Jul 10, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Are all #1 ranking guarantees really SEO scams?
If an SEO expert promises specific rankings or guarantees a top position for certain keywords, it's a red flag. No one can manually manipulate Google rankings....
Jul 10, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you only hire an SEO expert once you can actually measure the ROI?
The right time to hire an SEO expert is when you can concretely measure the value of SEO for your company and you're ready to invest a portion of the benefits obtained into this expertise....
Jul 10, 2025 ⚡ Analysis available
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